Review of "Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to America," by Martin W. Sandler

 Review of

Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to America, by Martin W. Sandler ISBN 0439530822

Five out of five stars

So many stories based on one place

 An amazing 12 million immigrants were processed on Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954, and they were from a wide variety of cultures. Up until 1924, the source countries were widely varied, but new laws that took effect in 1924 set quotas from certain areas and countries. This book is a brief explanation of the process and brief mention of their stories and what their lives were like once they were accepted and left Ellis Island.

 The best aspect of the book is the inclusion of photos of some of the people that have arrived for processing. There is the Greek man in full military uniform that looks like a dress, there is a picture of two Russian Cossacks trying to look fierce and a Norwegian woman wearing clothes that look Scandinavian. One of the most interesting aspects is how the immigrants, most of which had never traveled far from their home in the old country, reacted to seeing immigrants from other countries. They commented on how different they looked.

 There is also coverage of what their lives were like after their processing, specifically life in the crowded tenements. In those small and crowded rooms, entire families did what was called piecework, repetitive tasks that could be done by children and where the pay was in pennies.   

 Written at the level of the young adult, this is an excellent addition to the study of American history. Given the current debate over immigration policy, it is helpful to review the extent to which immigration built the United States.

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